Switch-throwing device.



1). 1). AREHART, JR. SWITCH THROWING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 14, 1909.

Patented May 11, 1909.

1n: mamas PETERS 00.. WASHINGTON n. c

'tirtrirsp STATES PAENT DAVID D. AREHART, JR, OF FRIEDENS, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH-THROWING. DEVICE.

T 0 all whom it may. concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID D. Annular, Jr., a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Friedens, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Throwing Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a switch throwing device, particularly designed for street railway systems, and the invention has for its object to provide a novel switch throwing device that can be operated from the platform of a car, thereby obviating the necessity of a inotorman or conductor leavjng the car to throw a switch.

My invention aims to provide a switch that will be positive in its action and free from (ranger of injury by heavy trucks or wagons passing over the switch or the ground actuating mechanism thereof. To this end, I arrange within the road bed of the truck, blocks which when depressed are adapted to throw a switch in one direction or the other, and in order that these blocks can be depressed from a platform of a car, the platform is provided with movable shoes adapted to engage said blocks and throw the switch prior to the car reaching the same.

The invention will be hereinafter described in detail and then claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of the track and switch, equipped with my improved switch throwing device, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the track illustrating a car in elevation thereon, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the switch actuating blocks, Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of said blocks.

In the accompanying drawings, 1, 1 and 1 designate ties or sleepers supporting a main track 2 and a siding track 3, the move- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 14, 1909.

ment of a car between said tracks bein cona moving the blocks 13, beyond a certain limit,

trolled by switch tongues 4, fixed to a transverse bar 5 slidably mounted between the ties 1. The ties 1 are located aconsiderable 1 the ties 1 these frames limiting the extreme distance from the ties 1, and these ties are i of a greater depth than the t1es 1, to provide bearings for longitudinal shafts 6 and 7, ex- 1 Patented May 11, 1909.

Serial No. 472,208.

vating or lowering when either of the shafts 6 or 7 are rocked to shift said bar. Since the movement of said bar is but a short distance to shift the tongues 4, said connection can be easily made. The shafts 6 and 7 are furthermore provided with the cranks 10 which extend at right angles with respect to the cranks 8. The cranks 10 are arranged between the ties 1 and to each of said cranks 10 is pivotally connected as at 11 an upright rod 12 which carries a block 13. The blocks 13 extend through a plate 14 arranged between the rails of the main track 2, the plate 14 being positioned between the ties 1 and 1". Each of the blocks 13 is formed with a recess 16 in which extends the head 15 of the rod 12, the diameter of the head 15 with respect to the recess 16 being such as to allow the block 13 to slide upon the head 15. The head 15 is retained within the recess 16 by sleeve 17 which is fixed to the block 13 and through which extends the rod 12. Arranged within each of the recesses 16 and interposed between the head 15 and the upper wall of the recess 16 is a coil. spring 18 which normally maintains the block 13 in an elevated position and also constitutes a cushioning medium for said block 13 when it is lowered and furthermore acts as a means to restore the block 13 to its normal position. The blocks 13 have the upper faces there of beveled, as at 19, and the springs 18 of said blocks serve another function by preventing the switch mechanism from being injuredby heavy trucks. A heavy truck contacting with one of the blocks 19 will overcome the tension of the spring 18 and lower said block relative to the rod 12, and while such a heavy truck will throw a switch, it will be impossible for the truck to break the rod 12, or the shaft connecting therewith. A light truck contacting with the block 19, will simply actuate the switch, and to prevent either type of truck or wagon from longitudinal frames 20 are arranged between downward movement of said blocks.

Reference will now be had to the street car adapted to travel upon the tracks 2 and 3,

and in connection with the car, pivoted levers '21 are used, said levers being pivotally mounted in the platform 22 of the car and having their lower ends provided with shoes 23 adapted to contact with the blocks 13.

The levers 21 are locked in a fixed position, by ratchet levers 24k and racks 25, provided in connection with each lever.

In operation,it is only necessary for the motorman or operator of the car to lower one of the shoes '23, to engage one of the blocks 13, and throw the switch in a desired direction, this direction being determined by the motorman or the operator of the car observing the position of the switch tongues t when approaching the switch and prior to reaching the blocks 13. The position of the switch having been determined, one of the levers '21 can be set to throw the switch without further detracting the motormans or operators attention. I

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, is;--

1 In a switch throwing device, the combination of a switch tongue throwing bar, a pair of longitudinally extending shafts arranged within a track bed and each provided at each end with a crank, the cranks at one end extending vertically and connected with said bar and the cranks at the other end extending at right angles with respect to the vertical cranks, depressiblc blocks arranged in the path of a shaft mechanism therefor, vertical rods connected to said angularly disposed cranks and extending in said blocks, means for connecting the rods to the blocks, said blocks capable of being shifted upon said rods, means within the blocks for normally maintaining them in an elevated position and further adapted to cushion the lowering movement of the blocks, and means for depressing the blocks for rocking the said shafts to shift said bar for throwing the switch tongue.

2. In a switch throwing device, the combination of a switch tongue throwing bar, a. pair of longitudinally extending shafts arranged within a track bed and each provided at each end with a crank, the c 'anks at one end extending vertically and connected with said bar and the cranks at the other end extending at right angles with respect to the vertical cranks depressible blocks arranged in the path of a shaft mechanism therefor, vertical rods connected to said augularly disposed cranks and extending in said blocks, means for connecting the rods to the blocks, said blocks capable of being shifted upon said rods, means within the blocks for normally maintaining them in an elevated position and further adapted to cushion the lowering movement of the blocks, means for limiting the downward movement of said block, and means carried by a traveling body for depressing said blocks to rock said shafts and to throw said switch tongues, said last mentioned means including pivoted levers having the lower ends thereof provided with shoes adapted to engage the blocks.

3. In a switch throwing device, the combination of a switch tongue throwing bar, a pair of longitudinally extending shafts arranged within a track bed and each provided at each end with a crank, the cranks at one end extending vertically and connected with said ha and the cranks at the other end extending at right angles with respect to the vertical cranks, depressible blocks arranged in the path of a shaft mechanism therefor, vertical rods connected to said angularly disposed cranks and extending in said blocks, means for connecting the rods to the blocks, said blocks capable of being shifted upon said rods, means within the blocks for normally maintaining them in an elevated position and further adapted ,to cushion the lowering movement of the blocks, means for depressing the blocks for rocking the said shafts to shift said bar for throwing the switch tongue, and means arranged in the path of the blocks for limit-- ing the downward movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the. presence of two witnes, s.

DAVID D. A RElf-IART, J11. \Vit nesses S I). IVEIMER, D. D. AREIIAR'I. 

